Tourist Attractions in Leyte

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Business, however, is not always the same according to the Vidas saying this year was the worst ever in terms of sales.

“We are renting two slots at P30,000 each and our sales are barely paying for the rental alone. We think this year is the worst, although we have felt it coming already with previous years sales slowly decreasing,” she said.

The Vidas said they are however hoping for the best come January 17 when more people will be coming to the area to witness the street dances and then take a look at what they are selling and eventually buying from them.

The Vidas said that they had the best sales in from 2001 to 2006. It, however, started to decline in 2007 until now.

“We used to earn at least P400,000 net profits then. And we were able to make renovations at home and helped our relatives because of that,” she said.

With the future thrust of the Department of Tourism to focus on marketing Cebu as a good destination for meetings, incentive travels, conventions, and exhibition shows, the Vidas said they are hoping it will make things favorable for them.

“Of course our target buyers are really the tourists and if they will do that then we expect more people coming here which could also mean sales for us.”

Perla said that her ultimate plan is to have her own permanent outlet where people will just come to them anytime.

“We want to have a place where we can stay for a very long time. That way we can minimize travel expenses and if DOT will really do their plan then the more it will benefit us,” she said.

Her husband Vicente is in Laguna for the Jamboree event and will have to spend at least P20,000 for travel expenses alone.

“We're getting old and soon too old to travel and our child is getting older who needs more attention now so a permanent location would be best,” Vidas said, saying her daughter Veron is already in second year high school and would need them to be near her now more than ever for proper guidance.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Perla was a store helper and her husband a security guard, before they started to make things different in 1991.

Starting a family with a child, Perla recalled life was no longer easy back in early 80s. They had to make ends meet and one day they finally realized that employment was not the best solution to augment their family's earnings.

“I was working for my aunt then who was selling different food items near the port area and also near Sto. Niño church. My husband's income and mine combined was not enough for us so we decided to start our own small business which could give us income based on how hard we work,” she said.

So when they noticed more and more tourists coming to Cebu in the early 90s, they decided to venture into the business of selling native home decorations and accessories.

“We don't have to prepare any capital investment as we only get stocks from a supplier and then sell them at higher prices as our way of earning income.”

Eventually, the business started to grow and the couple slowly earned and put aside enough savings to serve as additional capital for the business.

“We were able to put up P50,000 which we used to buy more goods not only from Cebu, but also from other places like Bicol, Baguio, and Negros,” she said.

The couple also started traveling and joining bazaars at festivals in other provinces and cities like the Pintados festival in Tacloban and the Jamboree event in Laguna.

“We go to every city that we think will have many people visiting during festivals and get a share of the market,” she said.

One of the biggest events that they never failed to attend every year is the Sinulog festival, during which they rent two slots along Jones Avenue near Abellana National High School – right where most of the tourists are expected to gather even before the grand parade on Sunday.

“We've been displaying here since the early 90s. And until now, we are still renting slots to sell a wide selection of accessories, home decoration and handicrafts from different areas in the country,” she said.

The couple hired only two helpers when they started. Now, they employ five people and get more help when there are several events happening at the same time in different locations.

“We have five regular helpers right now who are also our relatives and some friends,” she said.

The Vidas said that they are proud to have helped create employment for their relatives, saying they are just returning the favor they were given before by her aunt who employed her as a store helper.

The couple also helped their parents by having them live in their house and taking care of their needs.

COMMENT:There is nothing sweeter than savoring your own fruits of labor, rather than working for other people. Building your own business and working hard and smart through it is one of the best ways to be successful..

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Back in Tacloban, another stop is Rafael’s Farm where one can enjoy a beautifully-landscaped garden with a restaurant. There is a man-made lake where one can hire a boat to take you around for P50 for 30 minutes.

Visit the Palo Cathedral and tour some of the old houses nearby. The cathedral is on the way to the MacArthur National Park. Traveling with children, it took longer for us to visit the place as we had to explain every personality involved in the Leyte landing.

The Sto. Niño Shrine and Heritage Museum, to our surprise was the favorite among the children. It was built by Imelda Marcos as a Romualdez ancestral house but as in most things historical in this country, it has since fallen into a sad state of decay.

The museum charges P250 for five persons and P30 for every person in excess of five. There is additional charge for the use of camera and video camera.

Considering the vast collection of treasures given to the Marcos family during their 20-year in power, what a waste to see the government neglecting this part of history merely on the basis of its being a part of the Marcos memory. Some of the wood furniture, including bed posts, religious images and the 32-seater dining table had been eaten by termites.

The museum survives on the entrance fees, which are barely enough for the salary of the museum staff and payment of electricity bill. As it is, the museum is poorly lighted and maintenance of the whole place is clearly wanting.

Despite this, we were held in awe at the opulence this place once was and marveled at the value of every piece of foreign gift given to Imelda by such people as Mao Zedong.

To cap the night, we went to Balyuhan, across the city hall where the ampitheater is. Feasting on P5 per stick barbecue and "pinuso" rice beside the Leyte Gulf, it was such a delight to be eating street food in a non-threatening environment.

If this is not enough, walk to the nearby Lion’s Den restaurant for a proper meal.

Finally, ride the Spider taxi to get to the airport—or wherever you want to go. It’s Tacloban’s version of Metro Manila’s FX taxi. At P10 per person with an additional P5 for every succeeding kilometer, this vehicle provides the amenities and services of a taxi. But before leaving, drop by at Aida’s in downtown to buy "pasalubong." Highly recommended is the pili hopia and special pastillas from carabao milk. Binagol, moron, and sagmani can also be bought along the sidewalks.

COMMENT:I'm so glad Minnie enjoyed her trip to my province, Leyte. She and other tourists could also visit Tacloban City around the last week of June, and enjoy celebrating the Pintados Festival with us. There are so many fun-filled activities that people would always go out to the main city everyday during this time to enjoy these festivties.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Taking advantage of a promo fare by Zest Air, our family hied to Tacloban in what we planned to be an educational trip to historical places in Leyte. The plan sounded subdued enough so it was a pleasant surprise to find out in the end that the children enjoyed the trip a lot and did not resent our mixing the "educational" with pure pleasure.

First in the list is San Juanico Bridge, touted to be the longest in the country. The 2.16-km bridge is convincingly one of the most beautiful bridges in the country. Built during the martial law years, we told the children of the tales and popular belief that have gone into the bridge construction such as its being a gift of Ferdinand Marcos to Imelda Marcos. Nowadays, police have banned picture taking along the bridge so one has to get off at either end of the bridge if one wishes to have a souvenir shot.

Upon crossing from Leyte to Samar, the search for a good beachfront begins. We ended up in a beach in Barangay Tingib. The sand may look like mud but the beach, being dotted with islands, offers a breathtaking view. Barangay Tingib is less developed with just a few cottages and simple facilities for local tourists. Its rusticity, however, is a welcome treat for those running away from the crowded cities. We even took time to see all the rare flowers and plants near the beachfront.

Farther into Samar, there is Caluwayan which has facilities for overnight stay and other outdoor activities such as boating and mountain climbing. Caluwayan hosts trainings for corporate functions and the package is priced reasonably.

COMMENT:There are other beautiful and breath-taking spots in Samar! These include.....

Calbiga Whitewater River

For Filipino travelers and foreigners who prefer to visit natural attractions, they can always take a look at the pristine and luring Calbiga Whitewater River. With a length of about 18 kilometers, tourists will have sufficient time to admire water species in the river. Surrounding the river is a forest where people can also see various plant and wildlife species. Meanwhile, for those who are in search for adventure, some tourist guides and local residents offer water-rafting activities. Hence, other outdoor activity that everyone can do at Calbiga Whitewater River is kayaking.

Sohotan Cave

An inviting, renowned, and enticing tourist destination in Eastern Samar, Sohotan Cave ranks second in the top 5 tourist spots in Samar Philippines. This cave provides a relaxing and safe place for travelers to do interesting activities such as trekking, hiking, and rock climbing. With the attractive formation of rocks inside Sohotan Cave, people can also learn useful knowledge related to rock collections. Aside from these, locals in Samar give importance to this tourist destination for its historical value since many agree that the cave served as shelter to native people in the province in the early times.Marabut Marine Park

One of the well-maintained and beautiful manmade tourist attractions in Southern Samar, Marabut Marine Park is found near the popular San Bernardino Strait. Because of its location, many people did not experience hassles in finding the park. Inside the marine park, tourists can find various species of fish, different corals, as well as beautiful reefs. Hence, for the convenience of all its guests, Marabut Marine Park features a restaurant where they can taste several delectable seafood dishes.Samar Archaeological Museum and Research Cente

Another fascinating tourist destination to see in the province, Samar Archaeological Museum and Research Center features collections of relics that are important to the history, heritage, and culture of Samar group of islands. Within the premises of the museum, everyone can see priceless artifacts that are recovered from the Spanish period like jars, paintings, and sculptures. In addition, devotees like to visit the research center for it also plays home to holy images of several saints and Christian martyrs.

Homonhon Island

Above all, travelers, vacationers, and tourists in Samar, should not forget to visit one of the historical places not just in the province, but also in the Philippines, Homonhon Island. Even if this is not as alluring and attractive as other tourist spots in the province, it is still valuable to locals for it is the place where Spanish wanderer Ferdinand Magellan landed when he discovered the country. To encourage people to visit this place, the provincial government provided a landmark in the site to inform them about the historical value of the island.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

CEBU, Philippines - While the domestic tourism has saved the country’s entire tourism industry from experiencing the worst in 2009 due to the global economic turmoil, the Department of Tourism (DOT) is once again calling on Filipinos to further spend their money here as several long-weekend holidays have been declared for 2010.

“Spending your vacation here is a great pledge to love your own and do your part in boosting our country’s growth,” said Ace Durano, Secretary of Tourism.

Durano made emphasis on other tourism sites in the Philippines that have strong tourism value, aside from country’s eight anchor spots, such as Boracay, Palawan, Davao, Cebu, Bohol, Vigan, Baguio, and Manila.

DOT is now strongly promoting the unexplored sites to benefit the communities in remote areas.

“We enjoin people to visit tucked-away destinations as well for economic gains to trickle down to the grassroots level,” Durano said.

These alternative spots are readily available and highly accessible for tourists who prefer to immerse themselves with the local life, enjoy the flavor of home-grown leisure, and stay in accommodations such as homestays and inns, added the tourism chief.

Already, the DOT has launched some alternative sites like the Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park in Leyte and the Danao Adventure Park in Bohol.

“While beaches of Boracay and Palawan are still top-drawers, Camiguin, Leyte, Mindoro, Occidental and Oriental Negros, Siquijor, Quezon also have pristine waters and stunning coastlines,” he stressed.

Nature-lovers may head off to Bataan, Batanes, Benguet, Bulacan, Cavite, Marinduque, and Romblon, while heritage hunters may seek the old historical charm of Bacolod and Iloilo, aside from Ilocos.

Tourists who plan to troop to the cities of Manila, Makati, Cebu and Davao have a range of options laid out for them.

“On top of shopping, food trips, night-time entertainment and theme park activities, we have huge theater performances and concerts lined up for the year,” said DOT Undersecretary Eduardo Jarque, Jr.

Jarque who heads planning and promotions, also noted the travel trends that the public should look out for.

“Extreme outdoor activities are big this year. The range is more expansive now, with tourists who are open-minded and raring to experience something new,” Jarque said.

The department has been relentlessly supporting adventure activities such as plunges, zipline rides, wakeboarding, skimboarding, kayaking and cylotourism among others.

The young-at-heart on the other hand may try other activities, as the country caters to a broad spectrum of different preferences of travelers.

“A beach lover can enjoy a relaxing spa retreat in Palawan, a festive party in Boracay, or a surfing-break in La Union. Our islands offer a unique plethora of things to do for all kinds of tourists,” continued Jarque.

Spiritual pilgrimages, cultural festivities and colorful ethnic celebrations are some other highlights that tourists may also wish to join.

COMMENT:The Department of Tourism is doing a great job in fostering the Filipino spirit by encouraging local tourists to spend their vacations in local tourist spots. Well done! Filipinos can indeed show their love and concern for their own country by patronizing not only Filipino-made products, but also by spending vacations in our own tourist spots.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Maasin City -- The key to prosperity and wealth is to become an entrepreneur, not an office worker. Mike Nunez, Provincial Director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), floated this challenging call this morning during the DYSL Kapihan sa PIA, the first kapihan forum of the new year held at the PIA office and aired live over DYSL-Sogod, where Nunez was the maiden guest. "Instead of giving fare money for their sons and daughters to go to urban centers to look for work, how much would it be better if Parents encourage their children to be entrepreneurs," Nunez said. He issued the same advice to students, urging them to be their own boss in a business venture that they are passionate enough to pursue, rather than join the long line of job hunters looking for office work. Worse, the intense desire to have office-oriented postings has led many to ask for recommendations from political leaders, Nunez added. The local DTI chief, however, admitted it is not easy to go into one’s own business, since many factors have to be seriously considered, such as the aspiration or willingness of the individual, financial capital, kind or type of business, and target market, among others. Asked what kind of business he could recommend in the province for potential investors or business-minded local people, Nunez readily recited several options in the tourism industry and in the field of environment. For tourism-related undertaking, Nunez said there is still a high demand for accommodation facilities like a ten-room lodging inn, sea or land transportation for whistlestop tour along sight-seeing routes, and souvenir shops that sell T-shirts, delicacies, or novelty items. He cited the natural forest in Silago, in which some 5,000 hectares of natural grown trees -- whose trunks have to be encircled by five persons on outstretched arms -- as a sure hit among nature lovers, or any visitors to wonder in awe and shock. In agriculture, there are plenty of economic possibilities, although he was not able to elaborate for lack of time. (PIA-Southern Leyte)

COMMENT: The key to prosperity and wealth is to become an entrepreneur, not an office worker. This is indeed a fact in itself. I NEVER knew anyone who became rich by becoming an employee. ALL of the rich people are EITHER investors or business owners.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

In view of the long-weekends declared by Malacañang for the year 2010, the Department of Tourism is urging the public to spend their holidays in the country and help contribute to the growth of the local economy, a government press release said.

“Spending your vacation here is a great pledge to love your own and do your part in boosting our country’s growth,” said Tourism Secretary Joseph 'Ace' Durano.

“We enjoin people to visit tucked-away destinations as well for economic gains to trickle down to the grassroots level,” Durano said.

These alternative spots are readily available and highly accessible for tourists who prefer to immerse themselves with the local life, enjoy the flavor of home-grown leisure, and stay in accommodations such as homestays and inns, the tourism chief added.

In the past year, the DOT has launched some alternative sites like the Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park in Leyte and the Danao Adventure Park in Bohol.

Nature lovers may head off to Bataan, Batanes, Benguet, Bulacan, Cavite, Marinduque, and Romblon, while heritage hunters may seek the old historical charm of Bacolod and Iloilo, aside from the Ilocos.

Tourists who plan to troop to the cities of Manila, Makati, Cebu and Davao have a range of options laid out for them.

“On top of shopping, food trips, nighttime entertainment and theme park activities, we have huge theater performances and concerts lined up for the year,” said DOT Undersecretary Eduardo Jarque Jr.

The DOT's head of Planning and Promotions also noted the travel trends that the public should look out for.

“Extreme outdoor activities are big this year. The range is more expansive now, with tourists who are open-minded and raring to experience something new,” Jarque said.

The department has been relentlessly supporting adventure activities such as plunges, zipline rides, wakeboarding, skimboarding, kayaking and cyclotourism among others.

The young-at-heart, on the other hand, may try other activities, as the country caters to a broad spectrum of different preferences of travelers.

Spiritual pilgrimages, cultural festivities and colorful ethnic celebrations are some of the other highlights that tourists may also wish to join.

The DOT reminds the public to book early. “It’s ideal to plan ahead, and avail of value-for-money packages offered by hotels, restaurants, malls, theme parks, and entertainment venues,” Durano said.

The department said Malacañang has declared a set of long weekends for 2010 by moving regular and special holidays to the nearest Monday or Friday of the week as provided for in Republic Act No. 9492 and Proclamation No. 1841, the press release said.*

COMMENT:It is so much better to spend the holidays in the country side. Not only is it cheaper, but one could also spend healthier holidays, away from all pollution in the cities.

Filipinos and foreigners alike must visit the Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park in Samar. I've been there and it was one of my most unforgettable visits in the country side of Samar. It is just less than an hour ride from Tacloban City.